CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers founder and owner Jerry Richardson is under investigation for allegations of workplace misconduct.

The team said Friday former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles is overseeing the investigation by a Los Angeles-based law firm.

Team spokesman Steven Drummond said in a release that the Panthers and the 81-year-old Richardson take the allegations seriously and are committed to a full investigation and taking appropriate steps to address and remediate any misconduct.

“The entire organization is fully committed to ensuring a safe, comfortable and diverse work environment where all individuals, regardless of sex, race, color, religion, gender, or sexual identity or orientation, are treated fairly and equally,” Drummond said in the release. “We have work to do to achieve this goal, but we are going to meet it.”

Richardson was unavailable for comment.

Drummond told The Associated Press because the matter is under legal review, the Panthers cannot comment publicly on the specifics of the allegations.

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SAINTS COACH Sean Payton, Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll, Jaguars offensive line coach Pat Flaherty and Jaguars wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell were fined $10,000 each for improperly going onto the field during Week 14 games.

Payton said he was trying to call timeout when he ran onto the field in the final minutes of New Orleans’ 20-17 loss at Atlanta on Dec. 7. Payton drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

NFL rules say a head coach or trainers can enter the field only to check on players’ health, and that assistants may never go on the field.

Carroll said he knew he’d be penalized for walking onto the field but wanted to calm players near the end of a 30-24 loss at Jacksonville. Late-game scuffles resulted in ejections of two Seattle players, defensive end Quinton Jefferson and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who were each fined $9,115 for unnecessary roughness. Seattle offensive lineman Germain Ifedi was fined $24,309 for verbal abuse of an official.

CARDINALS: Adrian Peterson was placed on injured reserve because of a neck injury, ending the running back’s season after only six games with Arizona.

Acquired from New Orleans on Oct. 10, Peterson ran for 448 yards – 314 in his first three games – and two touchdowns on 129 carries and had nine catches for 66 yards for the Cardinals.

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BILLS: The team placed left tackle Cordy Glenn on injured reserve after he missed the past five games because of a lingering foot and ankle injury.

Coach Sean McDermott says quarterback Tyrod Taylor will start against Miami. Taylor sat out Buffalo’s 13-7 overtime win over the Colts last week because of a knee injury. Rookie backup Nathan Peterman is in the NFL concussion protocol.

VIKINGS: Minnesota likely will be missing left tackle Riley Reiff (ankle) and tight end Kyle Rudolph (ankle) against Cincinnati on Sunday. Both were listed as doubtful on the injury report.

CHIEFS: The team placed center Mitch Morse on injured reserve because of a left foot injury and elevated cornerback Keith Reaser from the practice squad.

Morse was hurt Oct. 2 against Philadelphia. He missed five games before getting back onto the field against Denver, and started four more games before he was carted off during the Chiefs’ loss to the Jets on Dec. 3.

JETS: Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has been benched and will not travel with the team to New Orleans.

This is just the latest issue involving Wilkerson, the Jets’ highest-paid player. Wilkerson was benched for most of the first quarter against Kansas City this month for being late to a team meeting.

RAIDERS: Oakland will be without wide receiver Amari Cooper against Dallas after he aggravated a left ankle injury during last week’s loss to Kansas City.

PRO BOWL: Ladainian Tomlinson, Warrick Dunn, Jason Taylor and Derrick Brooks were selected as Pro Bowl legends captains for the Jan. 28 game in Orlando, Florida.


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